Merle at the Zoo

I was spooked by the zoo's rules at the Merle Haggard show tonight. Didn't take my Bloggie, a bad mistake.

The 77 year-old still has it.

The funniest thing the band did was play "Okie from Muskogee" as an instrumental as Haggard walked out to the stage.

That was the end of that, thence Merle started crooning. What I mean by crooning is phrasing things just right.  Sending out the message and the truth.

No better crooner on his side of country, fer sure, unless it's Willie.

You could feel George Jones' presence, I swear.

One of the great ones, no doubt.  His band was crackerjack, including his wife singing backup vocals and his son handling some guitar duties. Local tenor sax player Renato Caranto played fills and soloed like a jazz man crossing over with absolute clarity.

When I did my days at Jimmy Mak's 15 years ago, Caranto was always there playing with everybody. A fantastic sideman and arching soloist.

Haggard's arranger, nearly 50 years in Merle's camp, sat at the steel guitar and burned it.

A full house showed a lot of love for Merle under a beautiful blue sky. He appreciated it and responded.


TS